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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29095644">The Witch, Shapeshifter, And Archmage</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tren/pseuds/Tren'>Tren</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Persona 5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Gen, Heist, Magic, Mythical Beings &amp; Creatures, Shapeshifting</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-03-13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 12:47:18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>13,540</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29095644</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tren/pseuds/Tren</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>The witch Oracle accepts the request from their newest client that might finally let her bring the man responsible for her mother's death to justice on the behalf of the elusive group of vigilantes, Phantoms. However, between their client being a very cranky crow and the powerful influence of their target, Prime Minister Shido, many things can go wrong. Not that any of them will be able to stop Oracle and her family.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Kurusu Akira &amp; Sakura Futaba &amp; Sakura Sojiro</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Five Figure Fanwork Exchange 2020</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>The Witch, Shapeshifter, And Archmage</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hadrian_Pendragons/gifts">Hadrian_Pendragons</a>.</li>



    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I loved the idea of fantasy AU, though unfortunately personas turned out to be a bit too difficult to work into the plot. I hope you will enjoy the story!</p><p>Thanks to Karios for beta!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Oracle was used to being sought out due to her powers.</p><p>Wait, no, used to was a bad way to describe it. She was resigned to it. Yes. As a certified shut-in witch, who spent most of her life barely leaving the building she lived in, she wasn't used to meeting all these people who had high expectations of her. Fortunately, Sojiro was always there to chase away any people who wanted to exploit her powers. However, some customers were more tenacious than others. And Sojiro was justified in not expecting that animals could also have sought her out due to her powers.</p><p>"I'm not a crow," the crow sitting on the counter explained. "I'm <i>the Crow</i>."</p><p>"He sounds just like Mona," Oracle complained to the cat sitting right behind the crow.</p><p>"I do feel like he is human, though it's highly suspicious that he claims to be a famous assassin," the cat replied.</p><p>"I mean, if the assassin was a crow it would explain why nobody has caught him yet," Oracle agreed. Then she sighed. "Though I really hope he isn't the assassin who killed my mother. That would be kind of anticlimactic."</p><p>"I'm half-tengu! And I'm usually human. I'm here because my powers were sealed, and I ended up stuck in this form!" Crow shouted, flapping his wings in annoyance.</p><p>"I think he's telling the truth," the cat said.</p><p>"Really, Joker? That sounds like a tall-tale. I've been trying to find any assassins that might be connected to my mother's death for years and now you are telling me one just flew in and wants to cooperate with me?"</p><p>"I think you should be careful," Sojiro said from behind the counter. He was busy polishing the glass and pretending he wasn't ready to unleash all the defensive magic he knew if there was even a small hint that Oracle might be in danger.</p><p>His sentiment was appreciated, though it was highly unlikely he would be needed. Crow barely had any magic in him, which did support his claim that his powers had been sealed. Right now, creating a draft was probably the most he could do.</p><p>"We're always careful, Boss," Oracle said, while Joker nodded at her words. She didn't trust the self-proclaimed assassin nearly enough to mention her guardian's name in his presence. She turned her head to look at Crow. "What do I get from this?"</p><p>"A lead you'd been so desperately looking for. Also, I'm willing to give you half the money I will potentially inherit if I ever kill that fucking excuse for a father," Crow spat. It might have been a chilling threat if it hadn't come from an avian.</p><p>"We don't do killing," Oracle reminded him. It was pretty well known that Phantoms didn't resort to murder no matter what.</p><p>"And you better fucking not, because I've spent years planning his murder and I'm not sharing with anyone!" Crow shouted. He looked a bit comical throwing a tantrum like that.</p><p>Oracle leaned back in her chair.</p><p>"I don't know. Letting someone else kill our target feels like a breach of our rules," Oracle said, slowly, while she fiddled with her pointy witch hat.</p><p>It was definitely a breach of their rules, but Oracle had to play her cards smartly if she wanted to have her cake and eat it too.</p><p>"I'm not a part of your band of merry thieves, Oracle," Crow pointed out, visibly annoyed.</p><p>"Yeah, but I don't like how you expect us to look the other way as soon as we help you out. We are doing this because we believe in our justice," she said. Honestly, she was just outright plagiarizing one of Joker's speeches, but she was sure he wouldn't mind. She needed to get this right.</p><p>"I don't care about your justice," Crow spat out.</p><p>"We will help you, but you have to promise you won't be killing your father," Oracle decided. "By which I mean, make a blood vow. Actually, more like several, I need to make sure you won't try to betray us."</p><p>"You are just going to let him go free with no consequences?!" Crow shouted, apparently more offended by that than Oracle's lack of trust in him.</p><p>Oracle sighed.</p><p>"Of course not. We want to make him suffer while he's still alive. That was also your original goal from what I understood. You only want to kill him to break the curse, but I don't think it guarantees that you will return to your human form," she explained. "That's why we will try to find a way to break the curse and make your father suffer separately."</p><p>Crow was silent at that, clearly thinking about his choices.</p><p>"Fine," he finally said. "I will make the vow, but my father better suffer a whole lot."</p><p>"Oh trust me, if he's responsible for Oracle's mother's death, we will go all out," Joker assured him.</p><p>Oracle smiled. She wasn't a big fan of revenge, but there were some scores that just needed to be settled. She rolled the slightly too big sleeves of her witch robe, as she felt her excitement rise. This was it—the moment she had been waiting for so long. </p><p>"So now that we have an agreement, could you tell us who your father is?"  she asked, unable to hide her emotions.</p><p>*</p><p>"Okay, this is high! This is way too high level for us!" Oracle complained the next day. She had spent the whole night trying to figure out how to go about taking down Prime Minister Shido of all people. </p><p>Why did her mother have to be taken out by such a big shot?!</p><p>"What is level?" Crow asked, turning towards Joker who was still a cat. Oracle was so sleepy she had managed to mistake him for Mona when she woke up.</p><p>"It's how Oracle measures difficulty. She likes to put numerical values on things," Joker explained.</p><p>"I see, I heard witches were eccentric, but I guess I didn't really comprehend just how out of the touch with reality they are," Crow said with a nod.</p><p>"I can hear you two, you know," Oracle complained. She sighed. "Boss, give me a big breakfast. I need all the nutrients to figure out a plan."</p><p>Sojiro nodded. However, as he started to prepare it, he asked, "Are you sure about this, Oracle?"</p><p>Oracle wasn't surprised he was worried. He was missing Wakaba, so the prospect of losing her daughter (now <i>his</i> daughter) the same way must have been bothering him. However, Oracle wasn't the same scared girl that she used to be. She had helped many people since then and learned to actually leave the house.</p><p>"I'm very sure about this," she assured him. "I'm not taking this lightly. I need to do this both for mom and for myself."</p><p>Sojiro was silent for a moment.</p><p>"If you are sure about it, that's fine," he finally said. "But I will accompany you."</p><p>"Wait, you will?!" Oracle gasped. Until now Sojiro insisted on not interfering with Phantoms. Oracle could respect that; Sojiro had connections with many people from when he was a court mage, so she could understand why he didn't want to be involved in vigilantism. "Why?"</p><p>"This is bigger than anything you have done before. And if your enemy is the Prime Minister, Shido, you will need any help you can get. I can't leave you and Joker to deal with this alone."</p><p>Joker looked moved. Even now, he still wasn't completely used to Sojiro acknowledging him as someone important. Oracle nodded, feeling encouraged by her father's words. </p><p>"You're right. There's no point in hesitating. I will figure out the plan, while I gather all the members."</p><p>"We are gathering everyone?" Joker asked.</p><p>"Yes, this is the biggest job yet. We will need everyone either way, so there's no point in postponing that."</p><p>"Who are you going to look for first?" Sojiro asked.</p><p>"Noir and Queen, since they are the easiest to find," Oracle replied.</p><p>"Queen? That's an unusual code name," Crow noted. "Is she royalty?"</p><p>"Well, in a way," Joker said.</p><p>*</p><p>"Okay, since when is the fucking Empress of Shujin Kingdom, Haru Okumura, a part of Phantoms?" Crow demanded, as the three of them waited in a private room for an audience with her.</p><p>"Have you heard how her father almost married her off to Prince Sugimura and that after her father's sudden death the nobles pushed for the marriage hoping to turn her into a puppet empress?" Joker asked.</p><p>"Yeah, I heard the rumors," Crow confirmed.</p><p>"Guess who was trying to gather herbs in the fields of Shujin and accidentally met the empress and her bodyguard, while they were escaping from the castle," Joker said with a wide cat grin.</p><p>"Wait, you were the ones who helped her ascend to power?!" Crow said, sounding genuinely impressed. "I guess I underestimated how wide your connections spread. Also, can I ask a question?"</p><p>"Sure."</p><p>"How long is she going to be like this?"</p><p>Both the crow and the cat turned their heads to look at Oracle who was crouching in the corner of the room while muttering to herself.</p><p>"Why did there have to be so many people wanting to talk to us… I'm just a poor witch… couldn't they just leave me be…"</p><p>"She's bad when it comes to interacting with strangers," Joker admitted. "Usually I would do it in her place, but she insisted she would do it herself this time."</p><p>"She had no trouble talking with me," Crow pointed out.</p><p>"You are different!" Oracle hissed from the corner she was occupying. "You don't look like a human, so it's easier. I also had no trouble when it came to Mona, so talking animals are fine."</p><p>"I'm not a talking animal!" Crow pointed out in indignation.</p><p>"Wow, you even sound like Mona," Oracle said, clearly feeling better now that she didn't have to interact with unfamiliar people.</p><p>A second later the door opened and Empress Okumura emerged, accompanied by her wife, formerly a bodyguard of the Empress and currently the Queen of Shujin, Makoto Niijima.</p><p>"Oracle! I'm so glad to see you!" the Empress said. She was wearing a dress that looked rather simple to move in, but it was obvious at first glance that it was made from the finest materials.</p><p>"Noir! Queen!" Oracle cried in happiness, as she jumped towards them clearly hoping for a hug. "You finally came!"</p><p>"Sorry to keep you waiting," Queen said apologetically, as she hugged the witch. Unlike her wife, Queen was wearing a variation of the outfit she used to wear while she was still the personal bodyguard of the empress. It was slightly more ornate now to underline her higher status, but Oracle could tell it was made with combat in mind. "Hope it wasn't too hard on you, Oracle."</p><p>"She was very strong," Joker confirmed.</p><p>"Oh, you are Joker, not Mona," Noir muttered as she crouched closer.</p><p>"Yeah, it's Joker. I wasn't sure if it would be safe to appear in a human form," he explained. "Glad to see you two are doing well."</p><p>"And what's with this crow?" Queen asked as she narrowed her eyes.</p><p>"It's an honour to meet you, Your Highnesses," Crow said, sounding uncharacteristically respectful.</p><p>"This is Crow; he's our new client," Joker explained. Oracle was busy giving Noir the biggest hug she could.</p><p>"Crow... I think I've heard that name before," Queen muttered.</p><p>"Well, yes. Your father was one of my employers, though I was forced to terminate our contract," Crow muttered.</p><p>The temperature in the room dropped immediately. Oracle didn't even realize what was happening, because one second she was being hugged by Noir, and the next Noir was standing right before Crow holding him by the throat. Noir's shadow seemed to have expanded, threatening to swallow Crow.</p><p>"Were you the one who killed my father?" Noir asked, her voice ice cold.</p><p>Crow was squirming in her grasp, desperately trying to escape.</p><p>"Haru, calm down!" Queen shouted, as she grabbed Noir's free hand. "I know you are still hurting, but we should hear them out first."</p><p>That seemed to return Noir to reality. She let go of Crow and the shadows around her dispersed.</p><p>"I'm sorry, I just…"</p><p>"No, it's alright," Oracle said quickly. "But we really need Crow alive, so please don't use your dark magic on him. His power was sealed so he has little to no resistance to magic."</p><p>Joker leaned over Crow who was lying on the floor.</p><p>"You alright?"</p><p>"Her magic… is way stronger… than her father's…" Crow harked from where he was lying on the floor.</p><p>"Nah, you are just super weak now. It's like you are level one all over again," Oracle explained.</p><p>Crow seemed to try to give her a look, but his attempt fell flat since he was a bird. Instead he plopped back onto the floor, too tired to move.</p><p>*</p><p>"So this is what happened," Noir muttered, as Oracle finished her explanation over tea.</p><p>"Are you sure we can trust Crow?" Queen asked.</p><p>"He made a blood vow to me that he won't sell us out and will only speak truthfully," Oracle explained.</p><p>Noir and Queen turned their heads toward the table on which Crow was lying, still recovering from the Noir's attack. Joker was sitting next to him, drinking milk from a saucer.</p><p>"Then can you confirm, Crow. Did you kill my father?" Noir asked.</p><p>"I made the vow to Oracle, you know. I can still lie to Your Highness' face, but there's little point in that since Oracle is well aware of that. So, yes. I was the one who was tasked with disposing of Emperor Okumura."</p><p>"Why did you do that?"</p><p>Crow opened his beak, but no words came out.</p><p>"He can't tell us everything. He also made some blood vows to people who were hiring him," Oracle explained. "He managed to share some information through the loopholes in the vows, but there are just some things that are impossible to get from him." </p><p>"If that's the case, how did you even get the identity of the person who employed him," Queen asked.</p><p>"That was actually something Crow figured on his own," Oracle admitted.</p><p>"That piece of shit is my father. Not that he ever took care of me," Crow explained, as he tried to push himself up.</p><p>"Exactly. So while Crow couldn't talk about his employer, there was no vow when it came to talking about his father. So he took advantage of that. He couldn't say that the conspiracy was led by Prime Minister Shido, but he could say that he took orders from his father. And then all he needed to do was reveal the identity of his father in a different context. Blood vow spells are very powerful, because they are very primitive, but that also means they are very easy to bypass if you know what you are working with," Oracle explained.</p><p>"Doesn't that mean that Crow can also bypass the vows he made to you?" Queen masked.</p><p>"Don't compare a first-rate witch like me to those third-rate wizards. I spent the whole night formulating those vows," Oracle said with a pout. </p><p>"I trust Oracle," Joker added. "She really put a lot of effort into this. "This is her chance to avenge her mother, after all."</p><p>Queen sighed.</p><p>"You are right, sorry for sounding like I don't trust you. It's just… a big undertaking. Probably the biggest our group has done until now."</p><p>"I know. Which is why I came to you first. I need to know if you have any visits to Tokyo Kingdom planned before I start formulating our plan," Oracle explained.</p><p>Noir made a thoughtful hum.</p><p>"I think the closest official visit we have planned is the grand ball to celebrate the Tokyo Kingdom's creation. It's in about two months," she explained. "After that we won't be able to visit for a few months due to our duties and other visits we have planned."</p><p>"I see. So we will have to aim for that grand ball, then," Oracle decided.</p><p>"It will be more risky, but if we succeed we will be able to disgrace Shido before the whole kingdom," Joker said.</p><p>"We are definitely in. Especially since it seems he was responsible for the death of my father," Noir announced, gently grasping Oracle's hands.</p><p>"So am I," Queen said strongly. "I will make sure to close that terrible chapter of our lives once and for all."</p><p>"Thank you," Oracle said, unable to hide her happiness. Deep down she was slightly worried Noir and Queen would be afraid to risk the future of their kingdom by taking part in her plan. Oracle wouldn't blame them if they did. They shouldered responsibilities far heavier than anything she could imagine.</p><p>"So what do you plan to do next?" Queen asked.</p><p>"I need to find our other members. They all went their separate ways after we helped with your enthronement. We've only had some small requests recently, so me and Joker were enough. I have some idea where Mona and Panther are, but Skull and Fox are a total unknown," Oracle said with a sigh.</p><p>"I think Skull is still paying off that debt he has toward Fox," Noir said. "Which means they could be anywhere since Fox just travels from place to place looking for inspiration."</p><p>"I could send a request to our soldiers to ask people for anyone matching their description," Queen suggested.</p><p>"That would be helpful. I also asked Boss to fish for some information," Oracle said. "Meanwhile I will look for Panther and Mona."</p><p>"Where are they currently?" Noir asked.</p><p>"Judging by the fact that they haven't contacted me, they are probably still in the Forest of Dreams," Oracle admitted.</p><p>*</p><p>"You know for someone called Oracle you haven't been really all that great at figuring out where people are," Crow complained. He was sitting at the back of a huge backpack that was levitating through the air at a steady pace. Oracle was sitting at the front, directing the backpack with her wand. Joker was still in his cat form, curled into a ball in between the two of them. </p><p>"Oh sweet and ever present mana, are people still claiming I can see the future?" Oracle asked. It was a rumor that was frustrating in its persistence.</p><p>"That's what I heard. Oracle—a powerful witch capable of piercing through the veil of future with her burning sight," Crow said in a mockingly pompous tone.</p><p>"I literally have to wear glasses to function. My sight is terrible," Oracle complained. She sighed. "No, I chose this name since I wanted to live up to my mother's legacy. She was the most knowledgeable person I've ever known and was an expert on magical theory. I just wanted to become a praiseworthy person like her."</p><p>"Also, while Oracle isn't a fighter her ability to read the flow of the battle is second to none. Many people consider her ability to make right choices, even under pressure, downright mystical," Joker added, sounding like a proud brother.</p><p>"It's not actually magic, it's just pure logic," Oracle argued, but she knew her flustered voice revealed just how much Joker's praise meant to her.</p><p>Crow just looked like that whole exchange far exceeded the levels of wholesomeness he found acceptable.</p><p>"So what are your two partners-in-crime doing in one of the most dangerous places in this part of the continent?" Crow asked, in a blatant attempt to change the topic. </p><p>"Looking for the clan of legendary Velvet Magicians," Oracle explained. "It's said they live deep in the Forest of Dreams where they learn to control the most powerful magic to ever exist. This magic is said to be so supreme that anyone who masters it ceases to be a human or whatever other race they've been until then. Their eyes turn yellow and their hair grays until it becomes white no matter what age they are."</p><p>"That sounds way too creepy to be true. Are you sure someone isn't just spreading false rumors?" Crow said, not hiding his scepticism.</p><p>"I met them when I was escaping from my village," Joker admitted as he raised his paw.</p><p>"I sense a tragic backstory there," Crow muttered, not hiding his irony.</p><p>"I was framed by some asshole who claimed that I changed into him and committed a crime. Obviously, it wasn't me, but people were already suspicious of me due to the fact that I was a shapeshifter in a small village. Anyway, I escaped before anyone got a bright idea to lynch me and while I was running away I entered the Forest of Dreams," Joker explained. "That's where I met a pair of really creepy twins. They talked cryptically about some bad destiny I have and that their master apparently has some expectations of me. Really weird stuff. Also they hit me so hard that they knocked me out. Next thing I knew I woke up with no idea if it was a dream or reality."</p><p>"Maybe you just had a dream based on the rumors you heard," Crow suggested.</p><p>"Joker lived in the total boonies," Oracle supplied. "He never heard about that forest beforehand."</p><p>Crow tried to look unaffected as he looked around the nearby bushes, as if expecting a creepy pair of twins to suddenly burst out from them.</p><p>"So why would anyone try to meet those crazed magicians on purpose?" Crow asked, still clearly disturbed.</p><p>"Because not even my magic could help Mona," Oracle said, sounding sad.</p><p>"Oracle is extremely powerful, but there is magic that even she can't understand," Joker explained. "Mona came to her, hoping she would be able to help turn him into human. However, no matter how much Oracle tried she couldn't figure out what Mona even was."</p><p>Oracle hung her head. "Yeah, I even asked Boss for advice, but transmutation magic isn't really his strong suit."</p><p>"I see, so that Mona fellow is currently a cat and you have taken his appearance," Crow guessed. He must have realized it when Noir and Queen had mistaken Joker for Mona.</p><p>"Yeah," Joker confirmed. "It's easier for me to change into someone I know. Changing into Mona is almost effortless."</p><p>"So at this point you could easily change into me?" Crow asked, sounding curious.</p><p>Oracle glanced behind herself to see Joker stretch as he stood up.</p><p>
  <i>And then he transformed.</i>
</p><p>Shapeshifter transformation was something that shapeshifters would rarely show to others. Not because it was dangerous, but because it was extremely uncanny. It felt like watching something forbidden. Something that mortal eyes were never meant to see.</p><p>That feeling of interacting with a magic taboo was probably what made Oracle so fascinated by Joker's transformation. She was the only person he was willing to transform in front of, since her fear was so strongly overshadowed by her curiosity.</p><p>Oracle suspected that he was testing Crow. Besides, transforming from one animal to another was much less impactful than human transformations.</p><p>Still, it was a sight that etched itself deeply into your memory when you saw it for the first time.</p><p>Joker's cat form seemed to melt like cheese exposed to fire, but then something inside the melted mass seemed to <i>shift</i>. What happened next defied logic. The misshapen mass moved to adjust to its new shape, but the movement wasn't natural. It was as if various parts just teleported into the right place. The white parts of the cat's fur darkened and the shape became more defined. However, the final part was the worst. The muscles, the skin, the feathers—all of it suddenly burst out, enveloping the melted form. The beak grew out of the muscle covered head, while the eyes suddenly sprung out of it, as if someone added them in the afterthought.</p><p>Finally, all the feathers stopped growing and Crow found himself staring at the mirror image of himself. There was a moment of tense silence.</p><p>"Wow, that was creepy as fuck," Crow said, sounding elated. "So you are able to put on a good show if you want to!"</p><p>"Of course I can," Joker said, sounding somewhat competitive. While he would mimic the voices of humans he transformed into, he didn't seem to be able to do so when he transformed into animals. Even now his voice sounded the same as when he was in his cat form.</p><p>Oracle was happy about that in a way. Even though Joker was too afraid to show his true form most of the time, she could at least hear his true voice.</p><p>It would be too sad if all of Joker's original kind self had been erased.</p><p>"So you can turn into a smaller animal, but can you turn into someone bigger than your original body?"</p><p>"Yes, though it's not easy to maintain. There's just something uncomfortable about moving in bodies bigger than yours," Joker answered.</p><p>Oracle smiled to herself. It was nice that despite everything Joker could still get along with others.</p><p>*</p><p>"I can't believe you have confused me with Joker!" Mona complained.</p><p>Crow had escaped on the top of a nearby tree, having had enough of Mona's complaints.</p><p>"It's alright, Mona. Don't be too hard on him. He has never seen you before today," Panther said quickly, trying to calm Mona down.</p><p>"I guess if you put it like that, Lady Ann, I have no choice but to forgive him."</p><p>"Codenames, Mona," Oracle reminded him. She could understand why Mona underestimated Crow with his measly magical energy, but he was still nothing more than an outsider at this point. Not that he could do much with only the first name. To successfully use name magic one needed to know the full name of the target. However, it was better to be safe than sorry.</p><p>"You are right, sorry. We've spent the last three months in this forest and only caught a glimpse of one of those Velvet Magicians. However they were gone before we could even get a good look at them," Mona explained. He sounded very dejected. Now that Oracle looked closely, Panther's black witch robe was extremely worn out. She would probably need to buy a new one.</p><p>"We were about to return to the city to resupply and figure out our next move. It's clear that the magicians know we are here, but refuse to meet with us. Perhaps if we had some sort of artefact with us, they would be willing to trade information for it," Panther explained. "But, judging by the fact that you sought us out, it seems you have a job lined up for us."</p><p>"It's good you are so quick on the uptake," Joker said. "Our little bird here finally gave us a lead to the case Oracle had been pursuing. And the matter with Noir's father."</p><p>"So those two <i>were connected</i> just as we suspected," Mona said with a nod.</p><p>"That's why you are gathering everyone up," Panther said in understanding.</p><p>"Yes, though we still need to find Skull and Fox. We asked Noir and Queen to look for them," Oracle muttered.</p><p>"Yeah, knowing Fox they could be anywhere," Panther said with a sigh.</p><p>*</p><p>As it turned out they did have a lead and passed the information to Sojiro. Once their group returned, Oracle, Joker, and Sojiro (with key item Crow) set out to look for them, while Mona and Panther stayed behind to do initial scouting. They needed to get a good grip on the location they would be infiltrating. </p><p>Still, Oracle would rather be anywhere else but here.</p><p>"I take back my complaints about Forest of Dreams. It was disorientating with all the mist and geography making no sense there, but at least it wasn't deadly. Eternal Swamp is hundred times worse. It's dangerous, it's terrible to navigate and it smells!" Crow complained.</p><p>"If you hate it so much, you could have just stayed in the capital with Pather and Mona," Oracle pointed out.</p><p>"Shido's men know I turned into a crow. They probably suspect I died in a ditch after they hurled so much magic against me, but it doesn't change the fact that they are probably extra vigilant about any crows coming close to the castle. I would be useless as a scout," Crow explained sounding annoyed.</p><p>"I see, you are the type that can't stand inaction," Sojiro muttered, as he finished casting a spell. He was still wearing his simple outfit he wore while working at the bar, rather than his ornate robes, which made sense considering that they were in the middle of the swamp. Oracle's clothes remained free of mud only because she kept sitting on her levitating backpack.</p><p>"I don't think there's a part of my backstory that doesn't suggest that," Crow replied, not hiding his irony.</p><p>"It's better if you don't try to be too much of a smartass. Oracle might be a genius, but Boss is a certified archmage," Joker pointed out.</p><p>"I'm not so short of temper to get agitated by a tantrum of a helpless child," Sojiro replied.</p><p>Judging by Crow's sour expression the retort hurt more than if he actually ended up hit by magic.</p><p>"Have you found something?" Oracle asked Sojiro, deciding to change the topic.</p><p>"I think there are some people to the south, but it's hard to tell. The miasma mixed in with the mud is making it difficult to pinpoint anything. Though you are probably struggling even more than me," he added.</p><p>"Yeah, my tracking spells are almost as useless here as at Forest of Dreams," Oracle admitted.</p><p>"I don't think anyone would be able to use tracking magic at Forest of Dreams," Sojiro said with a sigh. "That place is not to be trifled with. At least this swamp is merely cursed."</p><p>His words certainly put into perspective just how mystical Forest of Dreams was.</p><p>Their group slowly traversed through the swamp. While Oracle's and Sojiro's magic protected their group from miasma, they still had to tread carefully. If they stepped into a spot with a strong concentration of miasma even their magic would be unable to protect them.</p><p>"Why would anyone even come to this place?" Crow complained.</p><p>"Inari is an artist. He is always travelling looking for new inspirations for his paintings," Oracle explained.</p><p>"Here?!"</p><p>"Yes, even here," Oracle confirmed.</p><p>"You will understand once you meet him. He's a loyal friend, but a bit short on common sense," Joker admitted.</p><p>"He's nuts," Oracle corrected him. "His brain can only comprehend art."</p><p>"Are we sure he's not dead?" Crow asked, sounding worried.</p><p>"Inari might be dumb, but his intuition is way too good. Knowing him, he can easily sense which paths in this swamp are safe. Also Skull is with him to make sure he doesn't pass out from hunger, so I'm certain they are both still alive."</p><p>"Could you fill me in on our last members? Is Inari a kitsune?"</p><p>Oracle clapped.</p><p>"Ten points. We suspect he's not a pure-blooded one, but we can't really verify since his parents died when he was a baby," Oracle explained. "He was raised by a sham of an artist, so he had only started using his powers recently, but he's a natural."</p><p>"And his actual codename is Fox. Oracle is the only one to call him Inari," Joker added.</p><p>"What about Skull? Is he a necromancer?" Crow asked.</p><p>Oracle chuckled.</p><p>"Oh, no, no. He's an ex-pirate. Or rather he ended up forced to swab decks on a pirate ship against his will. Still, he has some pride in his skills as a sailor after the years he spent on the sea, so he chose a codename like this," Oracle explained.</p><p>"Should we tell him all of that?" Sojiro asked, sounding doubtful.</p><p>"It's not like I can tell anyone. Given that I have the most insider information it's important that I know who will be taking part in this operation," Crow pointed out. "I can't tell you everything, but I might be able to give suggestions."</p><p>"He has a point," Oracle agreed.</p><p>"What about Panther? I can see she's a witch, but I feel like there's more to it. Other than the fact that she is a fashion icon when it comes to magical robes," Crow said.</p><p>"Oh, you were able to tell? She's a werecat," Oracle said, impressed despite herself. Very few people were able to tell that Panther wasn't fully human. Crow had to be very powerful and well-versed in magic if he was able to figure that out even though most of his powers were sealed.</p><p>"That certainly explains her codename," Crow muttered with a nod.</p><p>*</p><p>It was only on the next day that they managed to find their two companions. They heard them before they could even see them through the thick fumes coming out of a huge mudhole.</p><p>"You can paint after you <i>eat something</i>!"</p><p>"No, no, my muse is calling me! I think I can finally gleam the twisted nature of desire in the miasma swirling in this mud!"</p><p>"No, you stupid fox! You are just delirious from hunger! Stop being difficult and eat this damn fried lizard! I spent the whole of yesterday trying to catch it! Don't waste my effort by dying of hunger!"</p><p>Their group moved forward following the voices.</p><p>"Are those two…?" Crow asked, sounding doubtful.</p><p>"Yes, our final members," Oracle confirmed. "And before you ask, yes, they are always like that."</p><p>*</p><p>"You want me to abandon my journey in search of the true nature of desire?" Fox asked, clearly perplexed by the idea. "You were the one who said I wouldn't be needed for the next few months, Oracle."</p><p>"Yes, Inari. I said that <i>half a year ago</i>," she pointed out.</p><p>Fox froze, clearly confused by the inevitable flow of time.</p><p>"Has it really been that long?" he muttered to himself.</p><p>"Yes, it's been that long," Skull confirmed, exasperated. "Come on, let's go help them. We should return to civilization for some time."</p><p>"But I still haven't had the breakthrough I've been looking for," Fox complained. "I can't back down when I'm so close."</p><p>"Come on, Inari, we really need your help with this one," Oracle pleaded.</p><p>"I understand, but I'm afraid I won't be able to focus on the mission unless I get through this terrible art block," he explained. "I've traveled through so many places and yet…"</p><p>"Maybe this is exactly why you need to return to the capital," Joker suggested. "Now that you gained a new perspective you will be able to see things in a new light if you return to a familiar place."</p><p>"And if you are looking into the nature of desire I can assure you that your new target is the incarnation of bottomless desire," Crow added, catching on Joker's scheme.</p><p>Fox now looked thoughtful.</p><p>"Certainly. I've spent the last three months in such remote places, it might be high time I return to the capital to once more witness its ugliness and beauty now that my horizons have expanded," he decided.</p><p>"If you ever come I would be glad to serve you a plate of curry on the house," Sojiro added. It was obvious that this statement had resolved any doubts Fox had harboured.</p><p>"It would be rude to turn down such a magnanimous invitation. We are going back, Skull!"</p><p>"Hell, yes! Finally, I will be able to sleep in a bed!" Skull said, a tear rolling down his cheek.</p><p>Oracle smiled to herself. Now that she had gathered everyone it was time to present everyone with the plan she had been working on.</p><p>*</p><p>"Thank you all for gathering here! I think it won't be an exaggeration to say that this will be our most challenging job!" Joker said.</p><p>For the first time in a long while, he was in his human form. He was wearing a butler uniform and a gray mask that obscured his whole face. Even amongst friends, Joker prefered to hide himself. Not that anyone would blame him. Every person in their team had their own share of trauma and dealt with it as well as they could. </p><p>Oracle was still struggling to interact with people and feared being alone. Panther had an obsessive need to check on her friends' well-being after what happened to her fellow witch apprentice. The fact that she was willing to go with Mona to the Forest of Dreams, effectively cutting off her contact with the outside world, spoke volumes about how far she had come. </p><p>Noir, after being forced to bottle up her feelings for most of her life, now had the occasional tendency for violent outburst whenever something triggered the memories of her trauma. Queen probably never truly forgave herself for failing to stop the tragedy that befell Noir, whether it be the suffering she had to go through as a princess or the tragic death of her father, followed by all the nobles trying to turn Noir into a puppet they could control. </p><p>Skull, having been forcibly separated from his mother, now sought out to take care of other people, as if to make up for what he lost. Fox even now struggled to embrace his roots, having lost his parents at a very young age. Whether it be his kitsune powers he inherited from his mom or skill with a sword, he seemed to have gotten from his father, there was hesitation marking his movements that stopped him from ever achieving the perfection he sought.</p><p>Oracle wasn't sure they could ever comprehend the suffering Mona had been going through—not having any memories or knowing who he was. It must have been a nightmare to live like this. </p><p>But that was exactly why they all came together to help those in need. Not villains, but also not really heroes—simply Phantoms that believed in their own brand of justice.</p><p>"However as Phantoms we won't back down from this challenge for it also involves our members. That's why we will do our best to take down our current target, the Prime Minister Masayoshi Shido."</p><p>Joker pulled a rope and a scroll with the likeness of their target rolled down. Oracle was usually the one who prepared the materials, but Joker was the one who led the meetings. It was too easy for her to get tongue-tied when having to present before a crowd, and she struggled to deal with conflicts. As such Joker usually took the role of the leader, while Oracle focused on being the brains of the operation.</p><p>"It definitely won't be easy," Sojiro muttered from where he was sitting in the back.</p><p>"Man, I can't get used to the idea that Boss will be working with us this time," Skull muttered.</p><p>"You don't have to worry about me slowing you down," Sojiro retorted.</p><p>"No, no. I believe that Skull is actually impressed by your accomplishments. I think I speak for all of us when I say that it is an honor to have you with us for this operation," Fox quickly explained.</p><p>"You don't have to resort to flattery. At this point I'm nothing more than an owner of a small bar," Sojiro muttered, obviously unprepared for the praise.</p><p>"So what's the plan?" Noir asked through a shadowy cloud she and Queen were using for communication. They gave Oracle a piece of onyx imbued with Noir's magic so it could be used as means of communication. Noir wasn't powerful enough to transmit visuals, but she had no trouble when it came to sounds.</p><p>"We will use the grand ball, which Noir and Queen will be attending, to strike. If we give him any sort of time for preparation he will crush us. That's why we will settle this with one decisive strike," Joker explained. "We will have Crow accuse him of all his crimes during the ball. That way nobody will be able to dismiss his claims. They will have to be investigated."</p><p>"Are we sure that Crow won't be disposed of before a trial can begin?" Fox asked.</p><p>"Don't worry. I know that King Toranosuke is looked down on because of the scandal five years ago, but he's much shrewder than he looks. He will keep Crow safe to make sure he can stop Shido's rise to power," Noir explained.</p><p>"Politics are scary," Mona muttered.</p><p>"Are you sure you are okay with this, Crow? You will also end up tried by the royal court if we go with this plan," Panther pointed out.</p><p>"I'm the one who suggested this," Crow said from the back of a chair he was perched on. "As long as I take Shido down I don't care what happens to me. Besides, I think you all agree that I deserve to be tried as much as Shido does."</p><p>Everyone fell quiet at that. Crow had a point.</p><p>"You say that you plan to make him testify, but he's bound by several blood vows and is currently a crow. I don't think anyone will buy his testimony," Sojiro pointed out.</p><p>"Yes!" Joker said, as he snapped his fingers. He pulled another rope and a new scroll rolled down, revealing a map of the castle. "While our main goal is to have Crow testify against Shido during the ball, first we need to unseal his powers and break at least some of the blood vows tying him."</p><p>"Excuse me, but how do you break a blood vow?" Fox asked. He was still a novice when it came to magecraft, mostly using his own ice magic instinctively rather than due to any sort of training or education.</p><p>"Blood vows usually mean sealing a written contract with one's blood," Oracle said. Magic was her area of expertise, so she was happy to provide an explanation. "So we need to find the contract and then once we destroy it, the magic will be nullified." </p><p>"So the contract will be written on parchment? Wouldn't they choose something more durable?" Fox asked.</p><p>"The item used to forge the contract doesn't have to be parchment, but there aren't many things that fit. If the blood washes off the magic will stop working, so it has to be something that will absorb moisture. Most of the rocks that do are pretty brittle, so making a vow on them isn't a great idea. I guess you could also make a vow on wood, but it's not that much of an improvement compared to parchment," Oracle explained.</p><p>"Both burn very well," Panther said with a dangerous smirk.</p><p>"Exactly!" Joker continued from where Oracle left off. "That's why we will have two teams. Noir, Queen and Boss will infiltrate the ball and keep eye on things there. Everyone else will use this opportunity to infiltrate the castle's basement. Based on the intel Crow provided us with, the second underground level is where Shido keeps most of his confidential documents and artifacts. Our task will be to uncurse Crow and then make sure he reaches the party."</p><p>"Basically it's an escort mission!" Oracle announced.</p><p>"Don't say it as if I'm a dead weight!" Crow protested, while flapping his wings in indignation.</p><p>"Don't worry, we know you are in fact a living weight," Fox assured him, completely missing the point.</p><p>"Anyway," Joker interjected to avoid an argument, "finding the documents and the item that was used to seal Crows powers will be the most challenging part. We unfortunately don't know where exactly the documents are, and there is a high risk that guards will discover us if we take too long."</p><p>"What about the infiltration route?" Skull asked.</p><p>"We already found one with Panther," Mona announced. "So that's one less thing to worry about."</p><p>"Yes, it will require some preparation, but we will be able to sneak everyone into the castle. However, to ensure that no one discovers it, we can't use that route until the day of the ball. If the guards discover our intrusion before the ball and strengthen the security of the basement level, our whole plan will be ruined. We are counting on the fact that most of the guards will be busy protecting the guests during the ball and the lower levels of the castle will have less security," Joker explained. "I will do some preliminary investigation, and we have a general idea of the layout, but that's it."</p><p>"From what I understand we don't even know where the guards will be stationed. This is the first time when we are infiltrating with so little information," Fox muttered.</p><p>"Yes, it really puts into perspective just how dangerous this job will be in comparison to our previous heists," Mona said.</p><p>"But if we are successful we will finally take down the head of the organization we've been aiming at for so long," Noir said, sounding resolute.</p><p>Everyone nodded. They had two weeks to finish their preparations.</p><p>"So now that we are in agreement everyone, make sure you will be ready for showtime!" Joker said, as he snapped his fingers.</p><p>*</p><p>Deciding what to take for the mission was probably the hardest part of the preparations.</p><p>"The invisibility cloak is no brainer, but the other slot is so difficult to decide on," Oracle complained, as she looked at the artifacts she had spread on the bed. Joker was sitting next to her in his cat form.</p><p>"You probably shouldn't overthink it. I think it's fine to rely on your gut. We don't know what to expect after all."</p><p>Oracle sighed. Her bag that could conceal magical items could only fit two items. Or rather any more than two and it stopped being able to conceal the amount of magical energy they generated. Oracle had to make a smart choice here because, once she ended up inside the castle, she would be reliant on those two items.</p><p>"Why are all boys like this?! <i>Just rely on your gut! Trust your instincts! Go beyond!</i> I'm not some hot-blooded hero! I'm a withdrawn witch!" she complained as she shook her head.</p><p>Joker turned his head away in guilt. Oracle immediately felt bad about her outburst. Joker was just trying to help her relax, she really shouldn't take her anger out on him.</p><p>"Sorry," she muttered.</p><p>"No, it's alright. I know that you are stressed because this time Boss is going with us," Joker said quickly.</p><p>Oracle felt even more guilty now that she knew that Joker understood her fears. No, it went beyond that—he definitely shared them. </p><p>It was almost too easy to forget that even though they only knew each other for a year and a half, Joker also viewed Sojiro as a father figure. After he had to escape from his village, Oracle was the first person to extend her hand to Joker after she found him passed out through one of her surveillance spells.</p><p>Sojiro was initially opposed to taking in someone whose background they didn't know, but it didn't take long before he grew fond of Joker. Sojiro even ended up teaching him how to cook and let him work in the bar. Joker would usually take the appearance of someone else, not wanting to show his true self to people.</p><p>Oracle enjoyed the times when he turned into Fox. It was hilarious watching him do menial chores in that body.</p><p>She chuckled at that memory.</p><p>"You are right, sorry," Oracle muttered, as she took Joker into her arms. "I'm just so scared at the thought that our plan will fail and Sojiro will end up branded as a criminal."</p><p>"I'm sure he's prepared for that," Joker said quickly, but Oracle could tell he was also nervous. She gently hugged him.</p><p>"I don't care. Let's make sure that the plan goes perfectly and he stays safe, Akira," she muttered.</p><p>Joker stilled, unused to hearing his own name. He had told his true name to Oracle and Sojiro once he opened up to them. They both responded in kind accepting him as a part of their family.</p><p>"Yes, this time we will be the ones to protect him, Futaba," he replied.</p><p>Unfortunately, Oracle's family bonding moment wasn't meant to last, as someone knocked on the floor. Judging by the low angle, it was Crow, who was using his beak. Oracle swung her wand, and the door opened.</p><p>"What do you need?" she asked, unable to hide disappointment at Crow's interruption.</p><p>"Do you know where Boss is? I wanted to talk to him about something, but he's not at the counter," Crow said.</p><p>Oracle narrowed her eyes.</p><p>"What did you want to talk with him about?" she asked.</p><p>"Magic," Crow replied simply. Then he added, probably realizing that Oracle was about to point out that she's a witch. "I just feel like he's better suited when it comes to what I want to request."</p><p>Oracle made a long sigh.</p><p>"He's probably at the back of this building. Supplies usually get delivered around this time."</p><p>"I see. Thanks," Crow said, before flying off. Oracle was tempted to ask Joker to follow him. She hadn't placed any surveillance spells near the back entrance, so she had no way of knowing what Crow and Sojiro would talk about. However, she ultimately decided against it. While she didn't trust Crow, she doubted Sojiro would fall for any sort of scheme.</p><p>"Oracle?" Joker asked gently, finally drawing her out of her thoughts.</p><p>She swung the wand, closing the door.</p><p>"It's alright. I guess I was just overthinking it," she said, as she forced herself to smile at Joker.</p><p>"Actually, I'm wondering. Since Crow is sealed with strong magic, won't he get detected by the barrier around the castle?" Joker asked.</p><p>Oracle shrieked as she realized that she would have one less slot available in her bag.</p><p>*</p><p>It was a few days later that Oracle did overhear a conversation not meant for her ears.</p><p>"There's something I need to talk to you about," Sojiro said, his voice serious.</p><p>Oracle really didn't mean to eavesdrop on the conversation between Joker and Sojiro. Honestly, at this point they had to know that half of the bar was filled with surveillance spells. If they wanted to have a private conversation they should have done it in a place other than the currently closed bar.</p><p>"It's about Oracle, isn't it?" Joker said, quickly catching on. Now that the bar was empty he had changed from a form that Oracle usually called <i>silver playboy</i> into his real one. However, even though he trusted Sojiro, he was still wearing a mask while he was cleaning the counter. Both Oracle and Sojiro knew it put him more at ease.</p><p>"Yes, I guess you've known me long enough to be able to figure that one out," Sojiro said with a sigh.</p><p>"I could tell very quickly how much you love her," Joker said, sounding slightly distant. Oracle knew that his parents' indifference in face of accusations he had faced still affected Joker.</p><p>"Oy, don't make that face. I'm also worried about you, you know. You are as much a part of this family as she is," Sojiro said, clearly unhappy with Joker putting himself down. "Honestly, I wish I was with the two of you during this mission, but I understand why you need me in the ballroom. However, I also know that Futaba usually doesn't go out in the field like this."</p><p>"Yes, she usually stays back to manage the communication between us using her magic. However, this time we need her magic to break the seal on Crow. We don't have the luxury of bringing him out of the castle and then bringing him in again to make him reach the ballroom. We need to have him testify against Prime Minister Shido immediately after breaking the seal, so that jerk doesn't have the time to put any measures against us."</p><p>Sojiro sighed.</p><p>"I know that," he said clearly frustrated. "It's just… I wish you kids didn't have to go against someone so dangerous."</p><p>Joker was quiet for a moment.</p><p>"There never was a choice. Oracle won't be able to truly move forward until the person who killed her mother is brought to justice and I… I swore to make sure she would be happy after she saved me. That's why we need to do it. I will stay by her side and help her bury the demons of her past," Joker said, his voice full of conviction.</p><p>Sojiro once more sighed, clearly troubled.</p><p>"There's no way I can stop both of you, so just promise me that you will return safely. <i>Both of you</i>. This old man can't bear the thought of losing anyone else," he said, as he averted his gaze.</p><p>Joker stood still for a moment before raising his hands. He slowly took off his mask, so he could look Sojiro straight in the eyes.</p><p>"I promise to make sure that we will all come back together," he said. "The three of us, Phantoms, Crow… I will make sure that Oracle's perfect happy ending will become a reality."</p><p>Sojiro seemed to be taken aback by the response. After a second he shook his head.</p><p>"It seems I was worrying for nothing, you kids are taking it plenty seriously. Finish cleaning the counter, while I prepare some food. The three of us should eat together tonight."</p><p>Joker's warm smile was quickly hidden, as he once more donned his mask, but it would remain in the hearts of people closest to him.</p><p>*</p><p> </p><p>"Man, I wish we could just walk in through the front door," Skull complained, once Joker opened the barrel in which he was hidden. Joker had been transformed into one of the servants who was in charge of securing supplies for the castle. </p><p>"Just be grateful that thanks to Joker's abilities we can get into the castle at all," Panther hissed, gesturing at Skull to lower his voice. While they were currently alone inside the storage room, a servant could walk in on them at any moment. Oracle was already preparing an invisibility spell for their group, but it would take her several minutes to cast it. She couldn't cast it before entering the castle since it could be detected by a barrier placed around the castle. To get inside they needed to rely on more mundane tactics.</p><p>Luckily, shapeshifter's transformation wasn't technically a magical spell, since shapeshifters manipulated their very being to assume a new form.</p><p>Still, Joker had spent the last month following the servant in a mouse form so he could successfully pose as him. It was by no means an effortless infiltration, and Joker had to be extremely careful not to get caught during that time. He also did some reconnaissance, but the mouse form heavily restricted him in that regard, as the floor of the basement they were headed to was barricaded by heavy doors that had no chinks.</p><p>After that, all their group needed to do was put some sleeping potion into the water of the servant to make sure he would sleep for the whole day and not come to work during the ball.</p><p>"I know, I'm just jealous of Noir and Queen," Skull said with a sigh.</p><p>"Just be grateful you didn't have to travel in a fucking bag!" Crow complained, as he flapped his wings, as if to make sure they were in order. "I thought I would suffocate to death."</p><p>Oracle finally finished casting her spell. She put everyone except Joker under it. It would be too suspicious if the doors just opened by themselves.</p><p>They had to be careful, but getting to the basement level wasn't that difficult. Joker easily blended in with other servants who were rushing through the halls to finish their tasks on time, while the Phantoms were used to avoiding people while invisible. Their group managed to reach the doors leading to the basement without much problem, but the real difficulty was starting now.</p><p>"Stop! Why did you come here?" the guard asked, as he glared at Joker, who was holding a basket.</p><p>"I was told to deliver provisions to you, sirs," Joker said, looking between the two guards. He raised the cloth over the basket to show that it contained food and jug with water.</p><p>The guards looked at him suspiciously.</p><p>"We haven't ordered any provisions," one of them said.</p><p>"Wait, you haven't?!" Joker asked, pretending to be taken aback. Then his expression fell. "Is Hubert making fun of me again? He should know better than to waste my time during such an important event…"</p><p>"Well, if he already brought this food all the way here, we might as well take it," the other guard said. However, the first one quickly shot him a look.</p><p>"No, today in particular we should be vigilant. Who knows what dangerous people might have mingled in with our guests. This food might be poisoned!"</p><p>"Eh, no it's fine," Joker said quickly. "Here, look."</p><p>Joker pulled a jug and poured some water for himself. The guards looked at him carefully, as he started to drink it.</p><p>They were so focused on Joker they didn't even notice when Fox and Panther took them out with a well placed strike at the same time.</p><p>"Works every time," Mona said with a smirk. The group was already pulling the guards to the side and quickly taking their clothes off. Skull and Fox would stay behind pretending to be guards, while the rest of the group infiltrated the basement. Oracle took off the invisibility spell from them and instead casted it on two unconscious guards who had been tied up and silenced.</p><p>Fox used his magic to cast illusion on himself to look like one of the guards. His illusion skills weren't particularly strong, but together with the outfit they would fool anyone. Skull of course didn't have access to any magic, but the helmet obscured enough of his face to lower the risk of someone recognizing him as an intruder.</p><p>Joker also morphed into one of the guards and took the key to the doors. As he unlocked it the cold air from the basement level of the tower rushed toward them. </p><p>"Let's go," he said, taking the first step down the stairs.</p><p>*</p><p>Luckily, there were very few guards downstairs. Their group managed to avoid them and after taking out the one person guarding the entrance to the room which Shido used to hide his secrets, they finally unlocked it. Though not before Oracle performed a number of spells to disarm all the magical alarms placed on the room.</p><p>"Let's hurry," Joker said, as he closed the door, once everyone went in. Their group wordlessly spread out over the room. </p><p>"I found some blood vows, but there's a lot of them," Panther said.</p><p>"Try to find those with Crow's magic signature," Oracle said. "We will destroy those and take the rest as proof of Shido's conspiracy."</p><p>Crow was flying around the room, trying to sense the artefact sealing his power. It was by no means a small room, and searching all of the shelves and cabinets would be impossible. Their plan heavily relied on Crow being able to sense the artefact they were looking for.</p><p>It took them almost an hour, but finally Joker found a figurine of a crow hidden in a box. Once he pulled it out, Crow immediately flapped his wings.</p><p>"This is it! I can feel my power!"</p><p>Everyone else slumped on the floor.</p><p>"Finally," Mona sighed.</p><p>Panther quickly opened her bag and started to stuff the blood vows inside of it. It was a magic bag that was much more spacious than it looked. Luckily, bags enchanted to store more items were so common that the barrier around the castle was set to not detect them. Joker quickly joined Panther, helping her hide the parchments, while Mona and Oracle scrutinized the figurine.</p><p>"That's pretty strong magic, I think I will need your help, Mona," Oracle said. "You too, Crow. I know your magic is sealed, but your presence should help make the unsealing more effective. Just focus on trying to get the magic out of it."</p><p>"Trust me when I say I want nothing more than to get my magic out of that cheap souvenir," he replied.</p><p>As the three of them focused, the figurine started to shine.</p><p>*</p><p>It was time for the most critical part of their plan. Joker walked quickly through the corridors, once more disguised as a servant, carrying Crow on his left arm and the bag with incriminating evidence against Prime Minister Shido on his right arm. Oracle was barely managing to keep up with Joker, as she followed him, hiding under her invisible cloak. The rest of their group had moved toward the exit, which in this case was the area with the garbage. They would slip in there under the invisible spell and then escape the second it wore off.</p><p>It would be dangerous to head towards the place where the ball was taking the place with too many people, which was why they parted ways. While the seal had already been broken, Oracle was still holding the figurine, helping to keep the power flowing out of it. Unfortunately, breaking the seal didn't mean that all the power immediately returned to Crow. It was a slow process and Oracle would have honestly preferred to have a whole day of uninterrupted time to make sure Crow had been completely unsealed.</p><p>However, they didn't have such time, which was why Oracle kept using her magic on the figurine, hoping to transfer as much power back to Crow as possible. She could tell it was working. Crow was now positively brimming with power. Even though only about half of his powers were back, Oracle was sure he would be a troublesome opponent if he tried to turn on them.</p><p>She sure hoped he wouldn't.</p><p>They finally reached the doors leading to the ballroom.</p><p>"Wait, who are you?" the guard standing by the door asked.</p><p>Joker was supposed to pretend to be a messenger, but he didn't get a chance. A gust of wind hit both the door and the guard making them fly inside the ballroom.</p><p>Shouts erupted from inside the room, as Crow flew inside. Everyone watched as he landed on the floor right next to the destroyed door, and then shedding black wings he transformed into his human form.</p><p>It was the first time Oracle and Joker were seeing it. Oracle assumed that he would have black hair just like his father, but was surprised to discover that wasn't the case. However, he absolutely made up for that with his black and purple striped outfit and black wings extending from his back. With a cruel smirk and brown hair moving with the wind, Crow extended his arm. </p><p>"Welcome, everyone. I'm sorry for stopping by unannounced. My name is Crow, yes, the assassin you've all been hearing about. And I came by to expose my asshole employee, none other than Prime Minister Shido! You thought you got rid of me?! Well, too bad, I'm back and I'm taking you down with me!"</p><p>Oracle sighed in relief, as she entered the ballroom. So far everything was going according to the plan. Oracle placed herself in a corner from which she could observe everything and where she wouldn't accidentally bump into anyone. Joker used the commotion to transform into a mouse and ran towards Noir and Queen.</p><p>"What is the meaning of this? Is this true, Prime Minister?!" King Toranosuke shouted. Oracle knew his surprised reaction was just an act. He knew very well just how many crimes Prime Minister Shido committed and now that he had the opportunity to expose him, King Toranosuke would use it to its fullest.</p><p>Oracle braced herself, but to her surprise Prime Minister Shido didn't look nearly as troubled as she expected him to be.</p><p>"Indeed, that is true. I'm glad to see that our little Crow has been found," he said, his voice sounding more amused than anything.</p><p>"You fucking trash, I will make sure you suffer!" Crow threatened.</p><p>"Guards!" King Toranosuke shouted. "Apprehend both of them!"</p><p>Prime Minister Shido smirked, even as guards moved to surround him.</p><p>"How pitiful. Even now you believe yourself to be some sort of hero, when from the very beginning you were nothing more than a pawn, <i>Akechi</i>."</p><p>At those words, Crow suddenly hung his head. Oracle froze, as she started to suspect what was happening.</p><p>No, it couldn't be…</p><p>"Protect me," Shido ordered. Immediately a strong gust of wind swept up all of the guards, sending some of them painfully colliding with the nearest wall while others crashed into the guests. Yet, despite the winds overwhelming force the attacks were so precise that Shido remained standing in the same spot without even a cut.</p><p>"So that's the power of the most infamous assassin in this kingdom," Noir muttered to herself. She and Queen were standing on the side, assessing the situation. However, Oracle doubted that they understood what was really happening. They probably thought Crow had betrayed them, but it wasn't the case. No, Oracle was prepared for that eventuality to certain extent. However, she wasn't prepared for this.</p><p>"You… how dare you use name magic on another human," Sojiro shouted.</p><p>The guests looked between them shocked. Their reaction was natural.</p><p>Everyone knew about name magic. It was the reason why everyone protected themselves by using codenames or fake names and only shared their true name with their family or close friends. Only loyalty that was constantly protected by their own mages used their names openly. However, it was extremely rare to actually witness name magic. One had to be an experienced witch or sorcerer to actually be able to use it. Even Oracle, with all her talent, doubted she would be able to pull it off, not because she found it absolutely disgusting, but because it was just that difficult.</p><p>Name magic allowed the magic user to control another being if they knew their true name, but taking control of a sentient being required a very precise control. Not to mention the stronger the target of the name magic was, the more difficult it was to control them.</p><p>Oracle felt goosebumps knowing that Shido could use name magic on someone as strong as Crow. Powerful and strong-willed people like him were the ones most resistant to name magic. And yet he seemed to succumb all too easily.</p><p>...wait, was that why they tried to seal him in the first place?</p><p>Oracle looked at the figurine she was still holding in a sudden realization.</p><p>"I see you still love to spew your moralizing nonsense as much as you did in the past, Fuchsia Archmage," Shido said, recognizing Sojiro. Oracle could see Sojiro wince when he heard his official title.</p><p>"Nowadays I'm just a humble barkeeper, but it seems the situation calls for me to use my powers," Sojiro said, as he summoned his staff. It was a thin ebony staff with very detailed ornaments that looked extremely regal. At least as long as you didn't know that it was called Coffee Maker, owing to its main purpose ever since Sojiro abandoned his position as court mage.</p><p>"Get him, Crow!" Shido ordered.</p><p>Crow didn't even raise his head. Oracle was starting to suspect he was used to not relying on his sight, instead using his wind magic to locate everyone. This way he had no blind spots.</p><p>...which meant Oracle's invisibility cloak was totally useless against him. However, because he was just blindly obeying Shido's orders, he had no reason to attack Oracle even though he knew she was there. She had to use this chance to turn things around.</p><p>She apologized in her mind to Crow, as she kneeled down to quickly draw a makeshift magic circle on the floor. What she was going to attempt was going to be difficult. However, she needed to do something.</p><p>"Oh, no, Crow's opponent will be us!" Noir announced stepping forward. Queen, who was by her side, had already put on her bracers. "Fuchsia Archmage, please focus on Prime Minister Shido!"</p><p>Sojiro nodded. Noir had to pretend they didn't know each other, but even then they were able to quickly communicate.</p><p>"Be careful. Even if he's being controlled he's still a dangerous enemy," Sojiro warned them.</p><p>"Don't worry, I'll make sure nothing happens to either of us," Queen announced, before she charged forward. Queen was an all-rounder, proficient in both physical combat and magic, but she was definitely more of a close-quarter fighter. Shadows gathered around Noir, before she used her dark magic to send them out at Crow.</p><p>Even though Queen had been guiding Crow with her flurry of attacks, he still easily countered the shadows flying his way by generating strong gusts of wind with his wings. Queen tried to use this chance to sweep his feet, but even though her attack went through, Crow didn't fall down. It was too late when Queen realized Crow was easily able to just hover above the floor with his magic and didn't need to rely on the footing. The only reason why she wasn't hit with the wind magic, straight in the face, was because Noir managed to gather her shadows like a shield to protect her.</p><p>"You are not taking another person from me ever again!" Noir hissed.</p><p>Oracle made a sigh of relief, while she finished drawing the circle. She took a look at Sojiro, but he seemed to be hanging on. So far he was mostly using barriers to shield himself from Shido's magic. He was probably waiting for an opening.</p><p>Oracle took a deep breath to inspirit herself. She knew that the second she started her spell there would be no hiding herself. She could only hope that her friends and family would keep her safe.</p><p>"O powers welling within me, bind those wings with thorns, and silence this beak with buds. Pluck each feather until none remain. One feather, two feathers, three feathers…"</p><p>Oracle hated pompous incantations like this, but she didn't have a choice. She was reusing someone else's spell, after all. In order to undo the seal on Crow she had to first understand how he was sealed. And given that she didn't  have time to completely break the seal it wasn't too difficult to renew the sealing process. There were probably several strong mages needed to cast the sealing magic for the first time, but with her talent and power Oracle should have been able to manage alone.</p><p>...she really hoped she would have enough magic left. She had been casting magic continuously for several hours now and she knew she would be likely reaching her limit sooner rather than later.</p><p>"...seven feathers… I guess I will have to go beyond after all… eight feathers…"</p><p>The change was obvious almost immediately. Crow's head jerked up, as the magic started to leave his body. Oracle apologized in her thoughts, since she heard that the sealing process was painful for magical creatures. Crow was a half-tengu given who his father was, but even then it was probably a highly uncomfortable experience.</p><p>"Crow?!" Shido hissed, realizing something was wrong. Sojiro tried to use this opening, but Shido redirected the attack at the last moment. "Crow, destroy the one who is trying to seal you!"</p><p>Oracle could feel her heart stop as Crow's head moved unnaturally and his empty eyes stared at her. It wasn't the Crow she had come to know. It was just a mindless puppet controlled with magic, but his skills were still deadly.</p><p>Air projectiles formed around Crow. Noir tried to stop them, but Crow slashed her barrier apart with the first volley. Then he immediately aimed the second volley at Oracle.</p><p>Oracle couldn't do anything. If she tried to raise a barrier she would disrupt the sealing process. Right now all her attention was focused on the magical circle before her. All she could do was trust in her friends. She closed her eyes, unable to completely control her fear. Even as she continued chanting she braced herself for pain.</p><p>There was a sound of impact, but Oracle felt nothing. She slowly opened her eyes.</p><p>"I'm glad I made it…" Joker muttered, as he stood right before her with his arms spread.</p><p>Oracle almost stopped chanting, as she realized what had happened—Joker had shielded her with his own body. Oracle could feel tears well in his eyes, but she forced herself to keep her spell going.</p><p>There was a sound of bodies crashing against the wall. Oracle had a bad feeling about it, but she couldn't see much, since Joker's body was blocking most of her vision. </p><p>"Finish them off!" Shido once more ordered. Oracle could once more hear the tell-tale swish of Crow's air magic. However, as dread started to choke her, Oracle heard a shout.</p><p>"Don't stop the spell! I will protect you!" Sojiro screamed.</p><p>A second later Crow's air projectiles hit the barrier that Sojiro created around Oracle and Joker.</p><p>"Don't think you can protect both them and yourself! Crow is my ultimate weapon, and with your weak heart, you won't be able to hurt him! The victory is mine!" Shido gloated.</p><p>"You are the weak one. Someone who needs to use name magic to control their own son can't be called strong. You can't bring yourself to trust anyone and so you just keep exploiting their weaknesses," Sojiro shouted. Even though his voice was resolute there was a hint of pain in it. Oracle realized he must have been hurt during the attack.</p><p>"Don't think I will fall for your small talk tactic," Shido said. "I don't see how the trust you love so much is going to save you. Crow! Kill him!"</p><p>Joker turned his head hearing that, which let Oracle finally see Crow. However, he wasn't attacking. Instead there were grunts of pain coming from him as though he was in extreme pain.</p><p>"Crow? Why aren't you moving?!" Shido hissed. Crow made a movement as if he was trying to move, but immediately stopped. </p><p>"I'm glad that despite inheriting some of your worst qualities, your son at least turned out to be someone who can trust others," Sojiro said calmly. "Stop fighting, Crow."</p><p>Crow immediately stilled. Oracle couldn't see Shido's reaction, but she could imagine it.</p><p>"You… you countered my spell with your own!" Shido shouted in realization. He sounded taken aback by the fact that Sojiro used something like name magic.</p><p>"Indeed, luckily Crow suspected you have figured out his true name and decided to entrust it to me in case someone tried to exploit him. I swore to never use name magic on someone, but I'm willing to break that vow if it will help save him and people close to me!"</p><p>It was at that moment that Oracle felt that her spell had been completed. In a flash of black light, Crow's human silhouette disappeared and an unconscious crow fell down on the floor.</p><p>A second later more guards poured into the room, probably called by the commotion.</p><p>"Prime Minister Shido, you are hereby declared a criminal on the charges of attacking me and the guests attending this banquet! Guards! Apprehend him!" King Toranosuke shouted. </p><p>Shido threw a magical projectile at Sojiro, trying to stall him and escape, but was stopped, as Noir's dark magic extended from his shadow and rooted Shido to the floor. He screamed, but it was too late. The guards already pushed him against the floor, completely sealing his movements.</p><p>Oracle made a loud sigh. It was over. Well, not really, because Shido had yet to be officially tried, but his crimes had been exposed and he was captured. It was truly…</p><p>"I'm sorry, but I think I can't…" Joker muttered and then fell forward. Oracle caught him, barely stopping both of them from falling.</p><p>It was only then that she noticed just how deep the wounds on Joker's back were.</p><p>"Joker… hang in there… Joker! Joker!!!!!!!"</p><p>*</p><p>"Oracle… Hey, Oracle. You really shouldn't sleep like this," someone said, as they gently shook Oracle's shoulder. She almost fell from her chair as she jumped.</p><p>In the dim light of the evening moon she could see Joker sitting in his bed. His whole torso was covered in the bandages, but he smiled at her. He wasn't currently transformed.</p><p>"Joker!" she cried, happy to see him regain consciousness.</p><p>"How long have I been out?" Joker asked, looking around. He reflexively checked to see if he had a mask on his face. He reached for the mask that was lying on the table, but stopped himself when he heard sobbing. He moved his head to look at Oracle.</p><p>"Three days, you idiot. You lost a lot of blood," Oracle explained. Now that Joker was up again, all her fears and frustration poured out at once together with her tears. "Never shield me with your body again! You jerk! Do you know how worried I was?!"</p><p>Joker lowered his head, seeing the tears in her eyes.</p><p>"I'm sorry. I wasn't really thinking back then," he admitted, ashamed.</p><p>"It's a good thing Queen had some magic left to heal you, because both me and Boss were spent," Oracle explained. They had both cast some high level magic and had nothing left once the fight ended. "Luckily, Shido also used all his power when controlling Crow, so he wasn't able to escape."</p><p>Joker sighed. "That's good."</p><p>"King Toranosuke pardoned our intrusion since we did end up protecting everyone. I think he was just very grateful that we finally gave him a court-usable proof that Shido is up to no good."</p><p>Joker smiled. "Good for him."</p><p>"Also, everyone else is fine. Noir, Queen and Boss got some wounds during the battle, but they were shallow enough that some healing magic did the trick."</p><p>"What about Crow?" Joker asked.</p><p>Oracle paused, not sure where to start explaining.</p><p>"Well, about him…" her voice trailed off, as the doors opened.</p><p>"Finally, you are up! Don't jump in front of my attacks you idiot!" Crow shouted as he flew inside the room. He was in his crow form. Joker blinked, as Crow landed on his bed.</p><p>"Why is he here?" Joker asked. His confusion was understandable, Crow was supposed to give himself in to testify against Shido. That was the plan.</p><p>"About that, let me explain," Sojiro said as he walked into the room, closing the doors behind him.</p><p>"Boss!" Joker shouted, happy to see him.</p><p>"Glad to see you, too," Sojiro said, not hiding his affection, as he pulled a chair closer to sit on it. "You see, the king asked me to protect Crow for now. Shido has a lot of associates that might try silencing Crow to protect themselves. So, until Shido's trial finishes, he will be staying with us. Of course, it's a secret."</p><p>Joker slowly nodded, as he looked down at Crow.</p><p>"Guess you avoided the birdcage for some time," he said with a smirk.</p><p>"Birdcage is still better than this crappy attic room," Crow retorted.</p><p>"Also, we are keeping him sealed on the king's orders," Oracle added. "So he will stay as a level one crow for a while."</p><p>"Stop calling me level one!" Crow complained.</p><p>However, he didn't get to whine more, since Sojiro got up from the chair sweeping both Oracle and Joker into a hug. Crow had to fly off the bed, so he wouldn't accidentally get squished.</p><p>"I'm so glad you all returned safely," Sojiro admitted, his voice wavering. Oracle realized that he must have been even more distressed by Joker's injury than she thought.</p><p>"<i>We</i> all returned, don't discount yourself," Oracle complained, as she returned the hug</p><p>"I wanted you to be able to bring Shido to justice. I always suspected he used magic to get her into an accident, but the way he used the name magic on Crow all but confirmed it… However, if I lost any of you it wouldn't be worth it." </p><p>"We never planned to sacrifice ourselves for this," Joker pointed out, holding both Oracle and Boss tight. "It was all to protect this place."</p><p>"I planned to stop you if you let the revenge get to your heads, but I was worrying over nothing," Sojiro admitted.</p><p>"Hey, you lot might not have been out for revenge, but you still haven't completed mine!" Crow complained as he flew onto the table. "So don't go too soft."</p><p>"Yeah, yeah, we will protect you until Shido is sentenced," Oracle said, as she shook her head.</p><p>"You won't be popular if you can't read the mood," Sojiro pointed out.</p><p>"I think he's just pouting, because he's feeling left out," Joker pointed out with glee. </p><p>Crow immediately tried to protest, but his voice was drowned out by loud laughter. Oracle couldn't help smiling, as she laughed with everyone else. Now that the person responsible for her mother's death had been caught, she could truly start to move forward. No, she had already been moving forward; together with her irreplaceable family she could go anywhere no matter what obstacles stood in her way.</p>
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